Nail-puller.



w. F. HoBBs. NAIL- FULLER. vAPPLIoAmoN Hmm un. 25, lxo.l

900,016.v yPatented sept. 29,1908..

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1HE NoRRls PEfERs ca..'wAsH1NcroN. n. c.

'under side `of the bar is a hammer13.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

wILLIs F. HoBBs, 0F BRIDGEPORT, 'CONNECTioUT,v AssIeNoR To TIIEBRIDGEPORT HARD WARE MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, 'orBainenronr,Y CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- To all whom it 'may concern: f

Be it knownthat I, WILLIS F. HoBBs, a citizen of the United States, residing;A at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented a new Vand'useful Nail-Puller, of which thefollowing is a speci-v ication. ,i i y This invention has for its objectrto provide a simple and inexpensive tool for .pulling claws both projecting inthe same direction and in nearly the same plane, a hammer and a handle. i

10 denotes the outer claw which is formed at the end of a'bar of metal, indicated by 11, which extends the entire length of the tool. The claw is formed by flattening the metal of the bar, tapering the opposite sides to a dull edge, tapering the edges thereof outward and providing the usual V-shaped opening, indicated by 12. i

Itis an important feature of the invention that in the position shown in Fig. 2i,"the outer claw is inclined upwardfrom thehoriZontal plane so `that its tip is in substantially the same plane as the inner claw presently de-` scribed. Back of the outer Claw 'upon the hammer is a forged block and is provided with a shank' lll` which is elongated in cross section in the direction of the length of the bar and engages an elongated opening 1 5- in the bar, the shank serving as a rivet for the hammer and being headed down upon the upper side of the bar, and the elongation of `said rivet preventing the hammer from turning or becoming loose.

16 denotes the `inner claw, which is provided at its inner end with a shank indicated by 17, the claw beingV offsetfrom the shank as at 18 and projected forward in the same direction as the outer claw, the onset being slight however so as not to raise the inner claw much above the shank of the outer Specification of Letters Patent.

This

'same plane as th NAIL-FULLER.

Patented.A Sept. 29, 1908.

' Application md .Ianuaiy 25, 190s. `serial No. 412,597.

claw. The inner claw is formed byattening and taperingthe metal in the same mannery the outer claw is formed and is likewise pro- `vided with a V-shaped opening 12.

17 is secured to bar 11 by means of a rivet 19 which is elongated incross section,

passes through correspondingly-shaped holes- 20 in the bar and shank and is headed down at both ends, the elongation of the rivet pre- .venting turning or loosening of the shank.y y The handle is preferablyformed by strips of `wood, indicated by 21 and 22, lying respectively above'and below the rear end of the bar 11 and secured thereto by rivets 23.

The forward end of wooden vstrip 21;.is shown as abutting against the rear end of shank 17, and the forward end of strip 22 is- Shank shown-as tapered down to the planeof bar 11.. 1

vThe edges of kstrips 21and 22 are preferably rounded for convenience in handling.

The ordinary operationin opening aboX.

is as follows: The cover is started byrforcing the outer claw between the cover and the top;

of the boi; and prying the cover upward.

The claw may or may not straddle the nail.

lThe cover is then struck a blow with the hammer, which drives the cover downward leaving the heads of the nails above the cover. Either clawl may then be'used, `as most convenient, to draw the nails. l preferably use the inner claw to draw the nails, using the tip of the outer claw as a fulcrum, for the reason that the curvature of the outer claw which is now turned downward gives the tip a position where it will take a positivegrip on the cover and prevent the tool from slipping. While the hold of the inner claw on the nail is positive, the nail is not drawn downward into the slot and locked there but is `drawn straight out without bending so that it may be used over again, and drops easilyout of the claw when drawn from the cover. This action due to the factthat the tip of the outeri, -`is substantially in the njfwhich the inner claw lies when in use; 'i'

Any style of handle may be used although I preferably use a handle formed from two strips of wood riveted to bar 11, as shown in the` drawing.

Owing to the fact that the tip of the outer claw is substantially in line with the plane of the inner claw, and that the outer clawis formed to operatively engage a nail when the inner claw is uppermost and the inner claw is formed to operatively engage a nail being when the ti of the outer claw engages the surface of t e article from which the inner claw is to ull a nail, the device is adapted to pull nails without any liability of such nails becoming wedged in either claw. This is because the outer claw can be .first used to start a nail., and then the tool is uickly reversed or turned upside down andl the inner claw is then engaged with the head of the nail after which the tip of the outer claw acts as a ositive fulcrum which so engages the top of the box that it can not slip. The distance between the two claws is such that the inner claw will then pull the nail almost straight upward without tendency to slip or wedge on the nail. In other words the tip of the outer claw acts as a brake te prevent slipping during the pulling of the nail by the inner claw. l

The location of the hammer head is such that it acts as a positive fulerum when the front claw is being used for starting the nail.

The strips of wood which cover the two sides of the handle end of the shank add stiffness and rigidity to the tool and make it possible to produce a strong and serviceable tool of much lighter weight than could be produced if made of solid steel.

Owing to the fact that the inner claw is separate from and then attached to the bar one end of which has the outer claw, it is possible to make the tool economically from a high grade of steel because each part can be forged and then end-tempered separately before assembling, whereas, if made of one piece, they would have to be hardened and tempered as a whole, and it would be impossible to produce a tool with each part properly tempered to stand severe strain, owing to the fact that all the working parts of a first class tool of this character should first be hardened in the usual manner and afterwards the temper drawn by heating to the proper degree of heat.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A nail puller comprising an outer claw formed at the end of a substantially straight bar and an inner claw projected forward in the same direction as the outer claw and having an offset shank separate from but secured to the bar, the tip of the outer claw deflected to substantially the plane of the inner claw, the outer claw being formed to operatively engage a nail when the inner claw is uppermost and the inner claw being formed to operatively engage a nail when the tip of the outer claw acts as a fulcrum on the surface of the article from which the inner claw is to pull the nail.

2. A nail puller Comprising an outer claw formed at the end of a substantially straight bar and an inner claw projected. forward in the same direction as the outer claw and having an offset shank separate from but secured to the bar, the tip of the outer claw being deflected to substantially the plane of the inner claw, the outer claw being formed to operatively engage a nail when the inner claw is uppermost and the inner claw being formed to operatively engage a nail when the tip of the outer claw acts as a fulcrum on the surface of the article from. which the inner claw is to pull the nail, and a fulcrum projection secured to said bar at a distance from its claw end substantially equal to the distance between the two claws, said fulcrum projecting from the face of the bar opposite that to which the inner claw is attached.

3. A nail puller comprising an outer claw formed at the end of a substantially straight bar and an inner claw projecting forward in the same direction as the outer claw and having an offset shank separate from but secured to the bar7 the tip of the outer claw being deflected to substantially the plane of the inner claw7 the outer claw being formed to operatively engage a nail when thc inner claw is uppermost and the inner claw being formed to operatively engage a nail when the tip of the outer claw acts as a fulcrum on the surface of the article from which the inner claw is to pull the nail, the handle end of the bar being 'flatv and strips of wood on opposite faces of the handle end of the bar and riveted thereto, one of said strips abutting against the shank of the inner claw.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIS F. HOBBS. 

